Layman in la-la land!

George Elliot, that woman who wrote with a man's pseudonym, had said: "I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music."

Profound.

Let's admit it: I am a cynic. Especially when it comes to quotable quotes and pompous words. Expressions that, to me, look and sound insincere.

My approach, as a layman, to much of music is tempered with the same cynicism. Or, skepticism. Much of what I hear doesn't sound like worth hearing.

And then there is music. Music that cuts through the clutter, wipes away the rust, and touches, no, hits the soul. Music. Incendiary. Transformational. Searching.

Good jazz does that. As does classical. Some rock - bluesy stuff. Much of the other stuff leave me cold. My failure, no doubt. After all, if billions love 'MJ' and I don't, it's obviously my shortcoming!

Nevermind.

I will admit here that I have no formal training in music. None. Zilch. I can't play an instrument to save my bottom. I bray like an agitated donkey if inspired (or threatened) to sing.

So, without any credentials, I intend to mull over music. Will stick to jazz for most of the time. Afterall, the form of free music should allow me some free expression. I know its the hard stuff, apparently, but will still go ahead with it. Armed with only ears, and time and interest to listen.

I don't expect to be correct. Please correct me if I become too correct. This blog is supposed to be honest and straightforward. If I don't like Eric Dolphy, I can say it here. Nevermind the critics, and raised geriatric eye-brows.

So, here goes.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Soul(ful) Jazz - breaking boundaries, transcending genres.

Soul Jazz. Not what one bumps into regularly, in conversations or concerts. Jazz for the soul? Of the soul? From the soul? All the above? 

But then jazz IS all the above. All jazz (except, maybe, some). So where does Soul Jazz fit in?

File:Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus.jpgMy experience with this form of jazz of music happened like it would for most - through some stellar pieces. Mine was while listening to Mingus, on "Ah um", and getting hit hard by "Better Git It In Your Soul". If you've heard the album, its breath-taking, with old Charlie at his best (The definitive Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD calls this album "an extended tribute to ancestors", and the album was one of fifty recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry in 2003. My favorite, as mentioned in an earlier post, is "Fables of Faubus", but "Better" always intrigued me. It is a very different composition, loud, in-your-face, and the super-charged gospel shouts, Horace Parlan's soaring piano riffs, Jimmy Knepper's gutsy trombone, and Mingus' masterly bass... The composition was also unique, in my opinion, because of the various influences one could discern - beyond the hard bop structure, the bluesy, gospel-y sound was unmistakable...

Here's an excellent piece on Soul Jazz, exploring the nature and form of the beautiful beast. Jazz is often mistaken as without soul, and Dan Bilawsky explains exactly why that is a huge mistake...


Enjoy...will follow this up with my own take on the venerable Hammond Organ, which formed the back-bone of this genre...

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